A diverter for use along with a toilet tank valve to direct water to the rim of a toilet bowl and then to refill the tank for storage of water to be used in the next flush.
There are two classical flushing systems for toilet waste. In one, an off-on valve discharges water directly from its outlet port to the bowl, and the flushing operation continues as long as the valve remains open. These systems depend on a reliable source of water under pressure to provide the flushing action. It is a continuously pressurized system and can operate for as long as the valve is held open.
The other type of system utilizes water already stored in a tank for later release. It inherently cannot operate continuously. Its next activation must await refilling of a tank, which always requires a lull period between flushes while the tank is refilled. It does not depend for its next flush on a pressurized source of water. The water for it is already in the tank.
Simple tank valves (often called xe2x80x9cballcocksxe2x80x9d) are operated by a float whose condition is responsive to the water level in the tank. When there is a full tank, the float is high, and the valve is closed. When the tank water level is lower, the valve opens to refill the tank, and stays open until the water level again reaches the storage level.
This is only part of the system. There is a second valve in the system, the so-called flush valve. It fits in a discharge opening in the tank below the storage level. This valve is closed by pressure of the stored water until it is opened by being lifted by a linkage operated by a button or a handle mounted to the tank. It stays open until the water level reaches a lower level, and then closes by gravity or by a linkage. Then the tank can be refilled.
While the flush valve is open, it passes water from two sources: the stored water, and water from the tank valve which flows while the tank valve is open. For flushing purposes the flush valve passes stored water plus water passed by the tank valve while the flush valve is open.
This attends to the flushing away of waste in the bowl. There are two other functions involved. One is the washing of the bowl rim and wall, and the other is to provide water to seal the exit of the bowl against sewage gases.
Conventional systems generally provide as part of the ballcock valve two discharges- one to the tank and the other to the bowl. These are opened concurrently, the tank refill rate being a predetermined part of the total flow. Thus, while the ballcock valve is open, part of its discharge water does not flow into the tank, but into the bowl instead. These two flows are simultaneous.
The bowl refill water serves at first to wash the bowl in the same way the flow through the flush valve does. However, the later flow, after the flush valve closes but the tank valve stays open, continues to go to the bowl to seal the bowl- the bowl refill.
This assigns to the tank valve the two functions, each of which is compromised by being part of the combination. In addition, the tank valve itself must be more complicated, because it must be designed for a divided flow, and perhaps for an adjustably divided flow.
The rim wash (or bowl wash) can never be as strong a stream as would be preferred, because of the division of flow. Beyond that, water may be wasted because, while the tank is being refilled at an agreeable rate, excess water may be sent to the bowl. A simple tank valve to monitor the water level in the tank should not be burdened with the complexity necessary to provide an additional function.
It is an object of this invention to provide an elegantly simple diverter valve which will divert substantially all of the water from the tank valve to the rim of the bowl for a brief high rate discharge of water to wash waste to the bottom of the bowl, and then to shuttle to a position where substantially all of the water will go to the tank until the tank is refilled.
The discharge from the flush valve to the bowl will be such that after the siphoning action has been completed, sufficient water will remain without the need for a continuing supply from an open tank valve (which will be closed).
It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, separate valve to divert the flow from the tank valve for the brief initial burst to the rim of the bowl, and thereafter to direct all water to the tank.
The diverter valve of this invention receives flow of water directly from the tank valve when the tank valve is open. It has no control function when the tank valve is closed. For example, it does not shut off flow, ever, but instead serves only to direct flow which it receives.
The diverter valve has a base which is fixed relative to the water tank in which it is installed. The base includes a through passage having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a lumen. A guide cylinder opens into the through passage and extends away from said through passage at an angle thereto, to an open end spaced from said through passage. It has an inside cylindrical wall.
A diverter plunger comprises a tubular shaft with an outer cylindrical wall that makes a close sliding fit with the inside wall of the guide cylinder. A flow passage extends from a first end of said plunger to a second end thereof. Said first end bears a deflector which, when located in said lumen of the through passage, obstructs said through passage and deflects flow of water into the flow passage in the tubular shaft.
The plunger is adapted to move such that its deflector can selectively be placed inside of and outside of said lumen.
A tank discharge tube is attached to said plunger in fluid communication with its passage, and is directed downwardly. A float is attached to said tank discharge tube below the level of said base, whereby to be buoyant when immersed in water to tend to raise said discharge tube and plunger, said plunger when receiving water from said tank valve with said diverter in said lumen, being dynamically held in said position regardless of the water level in the tank.